Methods and systems for releasably attaching support members to microfeature workpieces

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatuses for releasably attaching support members to microfeature workpieces to support members are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, for example, a method for processing a microfeature workpiece including a plurality of microelectronic dies comprises forming discrete blocks of material at a first side of a support member. The blocks are arranged on the support member in a predetermined pattern. The method also includes depositing an adhesive material into gaps between the individual blocks of material and placing a first side of the workpiece in contact with the adhesive material and/or the blocks. The method further includes cutting through a second side of the workpiece to singulate the dies and to expose at least a portion of the adhesive material in the gaps. The method then includes removing at least approximately all the adhesive material from the support member and/or the workpiece with a solvent.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to methods and systems for releasablyattaching support members to microfeature workpieces.

BACKGROUND

Existing microelectronic device packages typically include amicroelectronic die attached to a support member, such as a printedcircuit board. Bond-pads or other terminals on the die are electricallyconnected to corresponding terminals on the support member with solderballs, wire bonds, or other types of connectors. The die and theconnectors can be protected by encapsulating the die to form a devicepackage. The package can then be electrically connected to othermicroelectronic devices or circuits in many types of consumer orindustrial electronic products.

Manufacturers are under continuous pressure to reduce the size of theelectronic products. Accordingly, microelectronic die manufacturers seekto reduce the size of the packaged dies incorporated into the electronicproducts. The height of the packaged dies is often reduced by grindingthe backside of the wafer to thin the dies before singulating the waferand encapsulating the dies. One drawback with this approach, however, isthat thin wafers are extremely fragile and therefore difficult to handleafter backgrinding.

One approach for addressing this drawback is to attach a relativelythick wafer support to the wafer for the grinding process to ensuresurvival of the wafer as well as to facilitate subsequent handling ofthe wafer for further processing. One system, for example, includesattaching a wafer to a wafer support using a light-activated adhesivematerial. The wafer support is removed after the wafer is processed andthe resulting thin wafer is ready for further processing and/orpackaging. This system, however, has several drawbacks. One drawbackwith this system is that subsequent processing steps using lasers ordeep UV light may weaken the bond of the light-activated adhesive. As aresult, the wafer may become unstable and/or completely break away fromthe wafer support. Another drawback with this system is that theprocessing equipment is proprietary and relatively expensive.

Because of the problems with the light-activated adhesive describedabove, a variety of other adhesives have been used to attach the waferto the wafer support. These additional types of adhesives, however, alsoinclude a number of drawbacks. One drawback with many adhesivematerials, for example, is that it can be difficult to remove theadhesive from the wafer after processing. The removal process, forexample, may require heat and/or solvents. Accordingly, the wafer can bevulnerable to damage and/or breakage during removal of the adhesivematerial. For example, solvents can effectively remove the adhesivematerials if applied to appropriate areas of the wafer. It can bedifficult, however, to control application of the solvent materials andthe solvents may contact sensitive portions of the individual dies anddamage and/or contaminate the dies. Thus, there is a need to improve thehandling of microfeature workpieces during processing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-7 illustrate various stages of a method for releasablyattaching a support member to a microfeature workpiece in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a stage in a method for releasably attachinga support member to a microfeature workpiece in accordance with anotherembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A. Overview

The present invention is directed toward methods and systems forreleasably attaching support members to microfeature workpieces with oneor more microelectronic dies. One particular embodiment of such a methodcomprises forming discrete blocks of material at a first side of asupport member in a predetermined pattern. The method also includesdepositing an adhesive material into gaps between the individual blocksof material and placing a first side of the workpiece in contact withthe adhesive material and/or the blocks. The method further includescutting through a second side of the workpiece to singulate the dies andto expose at least a portion of the adhesive material in the gaps. Themethod then includes removing at least approximately all the adhesivematerial from the support member and/or the workpiece with a solvent. Inseveral embodiments, the method can further include removing materialfrom a second side of the workpiece to thin the workpiece before cuttingthrough the second side of the workpiece to expose at least a portion ofthe adhesive material.

Another embodiment of a method for processing a microfeature workpiececomprises forming a plurality of stand-offs at a first side of a supportmember. The individual stand-offs are arranged in a pattern on thesupport member generally corresponding to a pattern of microelectronicdies on the workpiece. The method also includes depositing an adhesivematerial into a plurality of gaps between the individual stand-offs onthe support member. The method further includes placing a first side ofthe workpiece in contact with the adhesive material and/or thestand-offs and removing material from a second side of the workpiece tothin the workpiece. The method then includes cutting through the secondside of the workpiece to singulate the dies and expose at least aportion of the adhesive material in the gaps while the workpiece is incontact with the adhesive material and/or the stand-offs. The methodalso includes removing at least approximately all the adhesive materialfrom the support member and/or the workpiece with a solvent while theworkpiece is at least partially in contact with the stand-offs.

Additional embodiments of the invention are directed toward microfeatureassemblies. One embodiment of such an assembly includes a microfeatureworkpiece having a first side, a second side opposite the first side,and a plurality of microelectronic dies at the first side. Theindividual dies are arranged on the workpiece in a predeterminedpattern. The assembly also includes a temporary support memberpositioned proximate to the first side of the workpiece. The supportmember includes a plurality of discrete blocks of material separated bya plurality of gaps. The blocks are arranged on the support member in apattern corresponding at least in part to the pattern of dies on theworkpiece. The assembly further includes adhesive material disposed inthe gaps between the individual blocks of material on the support memberand in contact with portions of the first side of the workpiece.

The term “microfeature workpiece” is used throughout to includesubstrates upon which and/or in which microelectronic circuits orcomponents, data storage elements or layers, vias or conductive lines,micro-optic features, micromechanical features, and/or microbiologicalfeatures are or can be fabricated using microlithographic techniques.The term “microfeature assembly” is used throughout to include a varietyof articles of manufacture, including, e.g., semiconductor wafers havingactive components, individual integrated circuit dies, packaged dies,and subassemblies comprising two or more microelectronic workpieces orcomponents, e.g., a stacked die package. Many specific details ofcertain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the followingdescription and in FIGS. 1A-8B to provide a thorough understanding ofthese embodiments. A person skilled in the art, however, will understandthat the invention may be practiced without several of these details oradditional details can be added to the invention. Well-known structuresand functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoidunnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of theinvention. Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may alsoinclude the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless theword “or” is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive fromthe other items in reference to a list of two or more items, then theuse of “or” in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) anysingle item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) anycombination of the items in the list. Additionally, the term“comprising” is used throughout to mean including at least the recitedfeature(s) such that any greater number of the same feature and/oradditional types of features are not precluded.

B. Embodiments of Methods for Releasably Attaching Support Members toMicrofeature Workpieces

FIGS. 1A-7 illustrate various stages of a method for releasablyattaching a support member to a microfeature workpiece. Morespecifically, FIGS. 1A-7 illustrate stages of a method for releasablyattaching a front side of a workpiece including a plurality ofmicroelectronic dies to a support member using an adhesive disposed onlyin gaps between a plurality of support blocks or stand-offs on thesupport member. After processing, the backside of the workpiece is dicedor cut to singulate the dies and expose at least a portion of theadhesive such that the adhesive can be removed with a solvent that doesnot contaminate and/or damage the components of the workpiece.

FIG. 1A is a top plan view of a temporary support member or carrier 100at an initial stage before a microfeature workpiece (not shown—describedin detail below with respect to FIG. 3) has been attached to the supportmember 100, and FIG. 1B is a side cross-sectional view takensubstantially along line 1B-1B of FIG. 1A. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1Btogether, the support member 100 includes a front side 102 and a backside 104 facing opposite the front side 102. The support member 100 canbe sized and shaped to receive the workpiece and provide support to theworkpiece during subsequent processing steps to prevent the workpiecefrom breaking and/or excessively warping. In one embodiment, the supportmember 100 is generally rigid and has a planform shape at leastapproximately identical to that of the workpiece. In other embodiments,however, the support member 100 can have a different planform shape thanthe workpiece. The support member 100 can include a glass substrate, asilicon substrate, or a substrate formed from another suitable material.In several embodiments, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) ofthe support member can be at least generally similar to the CTE of theworkpiece to help prevent excessive warping and/or undesirable relativemovement between the support member 100 and the workpiece during thermalprocessing.

The support member 100 includes a plurality of support blocks orstand-offs 106 arranged in an array on the support member 100. As shownin FIG. 1A, the support blocks 106 can be formed on the support member100 with a dimension and a pattern generally corresponding to anarrangement of microelectronic dies (i.e., a die pattern) on theworkpiece. The individual support blocks 106 also include dimensionsgenerally corresponding to the dimensions of the individual dies on theworkpiece. As such, the individual support blocks 106 are separated fromeach other by a plurality of gaps or channels 110. The gaps 110 arearranged on the support member 100 to generally match a pattern ofso-called streets or scribe lines between the dies on the workpiece.

The support blocks 106 can include a silicon material, an epoxymaterial, a polymer material, or another suitable material. In severalembodiments, the support block material may be cured after applicationso that the material is generally non-adhesive, but still has a slightly“tacky” nature. In other embodiments, however, the material may not becured. The support block material can be deposited onto the front side102 of the support member 100 using a screen printing process, adispense process, a pre-patterned film process (e.g., a layer of filmover all or substantially all the front side 102 of the support member100 with removable, cut-out portions corresponding to the gaps 110), amolding process, or another suitable process known to those of ordinaryskill in the art. In other embodiments described below with respect toFIGS. 8A and 8B, the support blocks can be integral components of thesupport member formed using a suitable etching and/or grinding process.

FIG. 2A is a top plan view of the support member 100 after an adhesivematerial 120 has been deposited onto the support member 100, and FIG. 2Bis a side cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 2B-2B ofFIG. 2A. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B together, the adhesive material120 is deposited into the gaps 110 between the individual support blocks106 to at least substantially fill the gaps 110. The adhesive material120 can include GenTak™, commercially available from General ChemicalCorporation of Parsippany, N.J., or other suitable materials. Theadhesive material 120 can be deposited into the gaps 110 using a pen- ornozzle-type dispensing process, a screen printing process, a squeegeeprocess, a tape dispensing process, a pre-patterned film process (e.g.,a layer of film over all or substantially all the front side 102 of thesupport member 100 with removable, cut-out portions corresponding to thegaps 110), or another suitable process.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the support member 100 after amicrofeature workpiece 130 has been attached to the support member toform a microfeature assembly 150. The workpiece 130 includes a frontside 132, a back side 134 opposite the front side 132, and a pluralityof microelectronic dies 136 (shown in broken lines) arranged in a diepattern at the front side 132 of the workpiece 130. The individual dies136 are separated from each other by a plurality of streets or scribelines 138. The workpiece 130 is generally positioned relative to thesupport member 100 such that the front side 132 of the workpiece 130faces toward the front side 102 of the support member 100. Theindividual support blocks 106 contact at least a portion of thecorresponding individual dies 136 at the front side 132 of the workpiece130, and the streets 138 between the individual dies 136 are generallyaligned with the gaps 110.

After the workpiece 130 has been attached to the support member 100, theworkpiece 130 is ready for additional processing. In one embodiment, theadditional processing can include removing material from the back side134 of the workpiece 130 to reduce its thickness. FIG. 4, for example,is a side cross-sectional view of the assembly 150 after the workpiece130 has been thinned. More specifically, the workpiece 130 has beenthinned from a first thickness T₁ (shown in broken lines) to a secondthickness T₂ less than the first thickness T₁. In one embodiment, thematerial can be removed from the workpiece 130 by grinding and/oretching. In other embodiments, the material can be removed from the backside 134 of the workpiece 130 using other suitable processes. In any ofthese embodiments, the support member 100 supports the workpiece 130 toprevent it from breaking and/or excessively warping during processing.In one aspect of these embodiments, the thickness of the assembly 150after the workpiece 130 has been thinned may be slightly greater thanthat of a conventional microfeature workpiece, but the overall size andshape of the assembly 150 can be generally the same size and shape asconventional microfeature workpieces. Accordingly, the equipment andsteps used to process the workpiece 130 with the support member 100attached can be similar to or identical to the equipment and steps usedto process existing microfeature workpieces.

Referring next to FIG. 5, the workpiece 130 can be diced, cut, orotherwise separated to (a) singulate the individual microelectronic dies136, and (b) expose at least a portion of the adhesive material 120within the gaps 110. In one embodiment, for example, a wafer saw 170 canbe used to form incisions C through the workpiece 130 and, in at leastsome cases, at least a portion of the adhesive material 120. In thisway, at least a portion of the adhesive material 120 in each gap 110 isexposed to an external environment.

In one aspect of this embodiment, the wafer saw 170 includes a blade 172having a width W corresponding at least in part to the width of the gaps110 and/or the width of the adhesive material 120 disposed between theblocks 106. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the width W ofthe blade 172 is just slightly less than the width of the gaps 110 sothat all or at least substantially all the adhesive material 120 isexposed. In other embodiments, however, the blade 172 may be narrowerthan the width of the gaps 110 so long as the width of the incision C issufficient to allow a solvent to pass through the incision C and contactthe adhesive material 120.

Referring next to FIG. 6, the adhesive material 120 (FIG. 5) can beremoved from the assembly 150 with a solvent or dissolving agent (notshown). In one embodiment, for example, at least a portion of theassembly 150 can be soaked in the solvent until the adhesive material isdissolved or otherwise removed from the assembly. In other embodiments,the solvent can be applied or deposited onto the exposed adhesivematerial 120 using other suitable methods. The solvent can includeGenSolve™, commercially available from General Chemical, or anothersuitable solvent or dissolving agent that will remove all or at leastsubstantially all the adhesive material without negatively affecting orcontaminating the other components of the assembly 150.

In one particular aspect of this embodiment, the slightly tacky oradhesive nature of the material used to form the support blocks 106(e.g., silicon) helps keep the individual dies 136 in place duringremoval of the adhesive material and subsequent processing. This is due,at least in part, to the natural affinity between the silicon materialof the support blocks 106 and the silicon material of the dies 136. Inother embodiments, other methods can be used to releasably hold the dies136 to the support blocks 106 during removal of the adhesive material120 (FIG. 5). In one embodiment, for example, a die adhesive materialcan be applied to the support blocks 106 before the workpiece 130 isattached to the support member 100 as described in detail above withrespect to FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the individual dies 136 can be removed from theassembly 150 (as shown by the arrow R) using a conventionalpick-and-place apparatus (not shown) or another suitable method. Inseveral embodiments, the support member 100 can be cleaned afterremoving the dies 136 using a suitable cleaning process, and the supportmember 100 can be reused to process additional workpieces.

One feature of the method described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-7 isthat the adhesive material 120 is applied only within the gaps 110between the support blocks 106. One advantage of this feature is thatsignificantly less adhesive is required as compared with conventionalmethods that coat the entire surface of the support member and/orworkpiece with an adhesive. Furthermore, less solvent and less time arenecessary to remove the adhesive material 120 from the assembly 150compared to conventional adhesive configurations.

Another feature of the method described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-7is that all or at least approximately all the adhesive material 120 isgenerally exposed to an external environment after cutting the workpiece130 to singulate the dies 136. An advantage of this feature is that thesolvent can directly contact a substantial portion of the adhesivematerial 120 and, accordingly, significantly decrease the diffusion timeas compared with conventional methods where the solvent only contacts asmall portion of the adhesive material (e.g., if only the perimeterportion around the outside of the wafer is exposed). The variouscomponents of the dies 136 are accordingly less likely to becontaminated and/or damaged as compared to conventional processes thatrequire heat, significant volumes of solvents, and/or various othertime-consuming processes to remove the adhesive material 120 from theassembly 150.

Still another feature of embodiments of the method described above isthat the support member 100 is releasably attached to the front side 132of the workpiece 130 over all or approximately all the dies 136 of theworkpiece 130. An advantage of this feature is that the variouscomponents of the dies 136 are less likely to be damaged as theworkpiece 130 is processed because the support member 100 providessupport and protection. For example, the support member 100 can shieldthe dies 136 from incidental contact with surrounding tools, machinery,and/or other components.

Still yet another feature of embodiments of the method described abovewith reference to FIGS. 1A-7 is that the support member 100 can remainattached to the workpiece 130 as the workpiece is thinned andsingulated. An advantage of this feature is that the workpiece 130 canbe less likely to be damaged or broken as it is transferred from agrinder or other tool to other machinery for additional processing andsingulation. The support member 100 can also provide a generally rigidsupport structure that reduces the likelihood for the workpiece 130 tobend or warp during such additional processing.

C. Additional Embodiments of Methods for Releasably Attaching SupportMembers to Microfeature Workpieces

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a stage in a method of releasably attaching asupport member to a microfeature workpiece in accordance with anotherembodiment of the invention. More particularly, FIG. 8A is a top planview of a temporary support member or carrier 800 at an initial stagebefore a microfeature workpiece (not shown) has been attached to thesupport member 800, and FIG. 8B is a side cross-sectional view takensubstantially along line 8B-8B of FIG. 8A. This stage of this methoddiffers from the stage described above with respect to FIGS. 1A and 1Bin that the support member 800 has a different configuration than thesupport member 100.

Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B together, for example, the support member800 includes a front side 802 and a back side 804 facing opposite thefront side 802. The support member 800 further includes a plurality ofsupport blocks or stand-offs 806 at the front side 802 of the supportmember 800. In this embodiment, the support blocks 806 are integralcomponents of the support member 800 such that the resulting blocks 806and support member 800 are a single, unitary component formed from thesame material rather than the support blocks being separate componentsattached to and/or formed on the support member as described previously.The support blocks 806 can be formed at the front side 802 of thesupport member 800 using an etching process, a grinding process, anadditive process, or another suitable method. The dimensions andarrangement of the support blocks 806 can be generally similar to theconfiguration of the support blocks 106 on the support member 100. Forexample, the individual support blocks 806 can be separated from eachother by gaps or channels 810, and the adhesive material 820 can bedeposited into the gaps 810. After forming the support blocks 806, thesupport member 800 can be used in subsequent processing steps that areat least generally similar to those described above with respect toFIGS. 2A-7.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments ofthe invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration,but that various modifications may be made without deviating from theinvention. Aspects of the invention described in the context ofparticular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in otherembodiments. Further, while advantages associated with certainembodiments of the invention have been described in the context of thoseembodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and notall embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall withinthe scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limitedexcept as by the appended claims.

1. A method for processing a microfeature workpiece, the methodcomprising: forming discrete blocks of material at a first side of asupport member, the blocks being arranged in a predetermined pattern onthe support member; depositing an adhesive material into gaps betweenindividual blocks of material; placing a first side of the workpiece incontact with the adhesive material and/or the blocks; cutting through asecond side of the workpiece to expose at least a portion of theadhesive material in the gaps; and removing at least approximately allthe adhesive material from the support member and/or the workpiece witha solvent.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising removingmaterial from the second side of the workpiece to thin the workpiecebefore cutting through the second side of the workpiece to expose atleast a portion of the adhesive material.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein the workpiece includes a plurality of microelectronic diesarranged on the workpiece in a die pattern and separated from each otherby scribe lines, and wherein cutting through a second side of theworkpiece to expose at least a portion of the adhesive material includescutting through at least a portion of the scribe lines.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the workpiece includes a plurality of microelectronicdies arranged on the workpiece in a die pattern and separated from eachother by scribe lines, and wherein: cutting through a second side of theworkpiece to expose at least a portion of the adhesive material includescutting through at least a portion of the scribe lines on the workpieceto singulate the dies; and the method further comprises removing thesingulated dies from the support member after removing at leastapproximately all the adhesive material with the solvent.
 5. The methodof claim 1 wherein depositing an adhesive material into gaps between theindividual blocks of material includes depositing a volume of adhesivematerial having a width approximately the same as a width of a wafer sawor dicing blade that cuts through the second side of the workpiece toexpose the adhesive material.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein theworkpiece includes a plurality of microelectronic dies arranged on theworkpiece in a die pattern, and wherein: forming discrete blocks ofmaterial at a first side of a support member in a predetermined patterncomprises forming a plurality of blocks in a pattern corresponding tothe arrangement of microelectronic dies on the workpiece.
 7. The methodof claim 1 wherein forming discrete blocks of material at a first sideof a support member includes screen printing the material onto the firstside of the support member.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein: formingdiscrete blocks of material at a first side of a support member includesapplying a prepatterned film of material onto the support member; anddepositing an adhesive material into gaps between the individual blocksincludes removing precut strips or grids from the prepatterned film suchthat portions of adhesive material remain in the gaps between theindividual blocks of material.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein formingdiscrete blocks of material at a first side of a support memberincludes: forming discrete blocks of a silicon material; and curing thesilicon material such that the material is at least generallynon-adhesive.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein forming discrete blocksof material at a first side of a support member includes: formingdiscrete blocks of a polymer material; and curing the polymer materialsuch that the material is at least generally non-adhesive.
 11. Themethod of claim 1 wherein forming discrete blocks of material at a firstside of a support member includes using an etching process to form aplurality of blocks at the first side of the support member, the blocksbeing integral with the support member such that the blocks and supportmember are a single, unitary component formed from the same material.12. The method of claim 1 wherein forming discrete blocks of material ata first side of a support member includes using a grinding process toform a plurality of blocks at the first side of the support member, theblocks being integral with the support member such that the blocks andsupport member are a single, unitary component formed from the samematerial.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein depositing an adhesivematerial into gaps between the individual blocks includes dispensing theadhesive material using a pen- or nozzle-type dispensing process. 14.The method of claim 1 wherein depositing an adhesive material into gapsbetween the individual blocks includes dispensing the adhesive materialusing a squeegee process.
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein depositingan adhesive material into gaps between the individual blocks includesdispensing the adhesive material using a tape dispensing process. 16.The method of claim 1 wherein depositing an adhesive material into gapsbetween the individual blocks includes applying precut strips or gridsof adhesive material to the first side of the support member in adesired arrangement.
 17. The method of claim 1, further comprisingproviding a generally rigid support member.
 18. The method of claim 1,further comprising providing a support member having a coefficient ofthermal expansion (CTE) at least generally similar to the CTE of theworkpiece.
 19. A method for processing a microfeature workpiece having aplurality of microelectronic dies, the method comprising: forming aplurality of stand-offs at a first side of a support member, theindividual stand-offs being arranged in a pattern on the support membergenerally corresponding to a pattern of microelectronic dies on theworkpiece; depositing an adhesive material into gaps between individualstand-offs on the support member; placing a first side of the workpiecein contact with the adhesive material and/or the stand-offs; removingmaterial from a second side of the workpiece to thin the workpiece whilethe workpiece is in contact with the adhesive material and/or thestand-offs; cutting through the second side of the workpiece tosingulate the dies and expose at least a portion of the adhesivematerial in the gaps while the workpiece is in contact with the adhesivematerial and/or the stand-offs; and removing at least approximately allthe adhesive material from the support member and/or the workpiece witha solvent while the workpiece is at least partially in contact with thestand-offs.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising removing thesingulated dies from the support member after removing at leastapproximately all the adhesive material.
 21. The method of claim 19wherein depositing an adhesive material into gaps between the individualstand-offs includes depositing a volume of adhesive material having awidth approximately the same as a width of a wafer saw or dicing bladethat cuts through the second side of the workpiece to singulate thedies.
 22. The method of claim 19 wherein forming a plurality ofstand-offs at a first side of a support member includes screen printinga material onto the first side of the support member.
 23. The method ofclaim 19 wherein: forming a plurality of stand-offs at a first side of asupport member includes applying a prepatterned film of material ontothe support member; and depositing an adhesive material into gapsbetween the individual stand-offs includes removing precut strips orgrids from the prepatterned film such that portions of adhesive materialremain in the gaps between the individual stand-offs.
 24. The method ofclaim 19 wherein forming a plurality of stand-offs at a first side of asupport member includes: forming stand-offs from a silicon material; andcuring the silicon material such that the material is at least generallynon-adhesive.
 25. The method of claim 19 wherein forming a plurality ofstand-offs at a first side of a support member includes: formingstand-offs from a polymer material; and curing the polymer material suchthat the material is at least generally non-adhesive.
 26. The method ofclaim 19 wherein forming a plurality of stand-offs at a first side of asupport member includes using an etching process and/or a grindingprocess to form a plurality of stand-offs, the stand-offs being integralwith the support member such that the stand-offs and support member area single, unitary component formed from the same material.
 27. Themethod of claim 19 wherein depositing an adhesive material into gapsbetween the individual stand-offs includes dispensing the adhesivematerial using a pen- or nozzle-type dispensing process, a squeegeeprocess, a tape dispensing process, and/or applying precut strips orgrids of adhesive material to the first side of the support member. 28.The method of claim 19 wherein adhesively attaching a first side of theworkpiece to the first side of the support member includes attaching theworkpiece to a support member having a CTE at least generally similar tothe CTE of the workpiece.
 29. A method for processing a microfeatureworkpiece having a front side, a back side opposite the front side, anda plurality of microelectronic dies at the front side of the workpieceand arranged in a die pattern on the workpiece, the method comprising:adhesively attaching the front side of the workpiece to a temporarycarrier, the carrier including a plurality of support blocks separatedfrom each other by a plurality of channels at least partially filledwith an adhesive material, the support blocks being arranged in apattern corresponding at least in part to the die pattern such that theindividual support blocks contact corresponding dies on the workpiece;removing material from the back side of the workpiece to thin theworkpiece from a first thickness to a second thickness less than thefirst thickness while the workpiece is attached to the carrier; cuttingthrough the back side of the workpiece to singulate the dies and exposeat least a portion of the adhesive material in the channels while theworkpiece is attached to the carrier; removing at least a portion of theadhesive material from the channels with a solvent to separate the diesfrom the adhesive material; and removing the singulated dies from thecarrier.
 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising forming theplurality of support blocks on the carrier before adhesively attachingthe front side of the workpiece to the carrier.
 31. The method of claim30 wherein forming the plurality of support blocks on the carrierincludes screen printing a material onto the carrier.
 32. The method ofclaim 30 wherein forming the plurality of support blocks on the carrierincludes applying a prepatterned film of material onto the carrier. 33.The method of claim 30 wherein forming the plurality of support blockson the carrier includes using an etching process and/or a grindingprocess to form the support blocks, the support blocks being integralwith the carrier such that the support blocks and carrier are a single,unitary component formed from the same material.